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I Have A Job, Kids And A College Education; Why he's not in Iraq
Topic Started: Oct 27 2004, 01:26 PM (512 Views)
MDPD6320
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Frank - Gainesville, Florida
Corky52,

I certainly agree that one fights for his country,not pay. However the fact of the matter is that for many years people served without going in harms way. They go to work like the rest of us and consider their military career as we consider our careers. They get regular pay and retirement benefits. For every man in combat there are many more in positions that are relatively safe.
Their service is real, and of incalculable value, and I don't disparage it, but for the vast majority it is considered by them to be their job, their career.

Frank
" The government big enough to give you everything you want it is big enough to take everything you have."

"Extremism in the pursuit of liberty is no vice, and moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue"

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
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Peralko
Member
Corky,

That man gave you a lame excuse. All in the services have a job, a lot of them have kids, and quite a few have a college education. He could have been honest and said he chose a different profession. With close to 300 million in this country, and only about 1.5M in the armed services, it is not like everyone can serve. Just because you support the president's action, whether it is President Bush now, or President Clinton when he attacked Serbia, doesn't mean everyone who supports that action has to rush to the nearest recruiting office.
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Banandangees
Member
Peralko
Oct 28 2004, 03:52 PM
..... With close to 300 million in this country, and only about 1.5M in the armed services, it is not like everyone can serve....

Just a bit of trivia came into my mind when I read your post about 1.5 M being in the armed services. On the first day of deer season every year in Pennsylvania alone, there are over 1M self-armed hunters in the woods at the opening of the season.

Seems to me that this country (and Canada) could afford to have a larger peace time military.
Banan
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brewster
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Winemaker Extraordinaire
Banan;

I think yours is just fine, maybe even could afford to be somewhat smaller, but Canada DEFINITELY has to get real...

We can't even cover what we've promised... I keep hearing how the Feds are going to do something about it, but nothing firm...

:dunno: :dunno:
Posted Image My Favourite Campsite
Bow Valley Provincial Park, Kananaskis Country, Alberta
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corky52
Member
A term of service something that should be encouraged if not demanded of ALL citizens, no ifs ands or buts. This it's just a job concept and down playing of service is very dangerous to our identity as a country, we end up with a almost mercenary identity for our military and a feeling of entitlement regarding citizenship.


Heinlein had the right idea.
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tomdrobin
Member
corky52
Oct 28 2004, 03:44 AM
Tom,

Cheap shot is being willing to have a war fought for you, while having no intention of being involved. Cheap shot is being to busy to fight your own wars. Cheap shot is enjoying the rights while ducking the responsibilities.

No! The cheap shot is demanding that anyone who isn't like minded as you in your extreme anti war and anti Bush views, and saying they have no right to their opinion unless they volunteer for combat duty.
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corky52
Member
Tom,
Read the opening post, then reread it! I left the room as did several others, I did not search this young man out, he sought me out to chastise me. I'm not so much anti-war as anti-stupidity, war is fine when done for the right reasons and handled in the proper way. I have an extremely low tolerance for stupidity in wars and Presidents, both of which GWB and crew have exhibited. When you get in my face about something which you know nothing and have no grounds to stand on you had best be prepared to suffer the consequences. I have several generations of histroy in the area of defending this country behind me unlike this twit.
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
TO me the young man's insult was the implication that, if you do not support that particular war effort and the way our leaders are fighting it, you do not support the troops. Frankly, I'm a bit tired of that unAmerican attitude myself. Criticizing the government can be supportive just as much as backing it can. Afterall, isn't that what our soldiers are fighting and putting their lives and limbs on the line for?
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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bikemanb
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Liberal Conservative
Opposing the war in Iraq for legitimate thought out reasons is hardly extreme, some of us with some modicum of knowledge of the region and it's history predicted what it has become and that the WMD threat was highly specious reason at best for going to war given what was being found by the inspectors.

A true patriot opposes a misguided, even if well-intentioned leader.

I assign no evil intent to Bush, other than possibly getting the guy that tried to have his father assassinated, that would be human nature so I can give him a pass on that.

Decent man with little grasp of history and the world and inclined to use strength because we have it.
Bill, Rita and Chloe the Terror Cat

For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise.

Benjamin Franklin
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Peralko
Member
Quote:
 
A term of service something that should be encouraged if not demanded of ALL citizens, no ifs ands or buts.


I must say I agree with you on that point, Corky! While the military does not have room for all our young adults, some type of civil service to the country would be a great idea! However, with the privatization concept pushed by both parties, I don't see where that is going to happen!
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